Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Parsing Policy: Trump’s Set On Destroying ACA Even Though It’s Helped Tens Of Millions; Work Requirements Won’t Work

Opinion writers express views on issues related to the health law.

USA Today:
Donald Trump Is Determined To Kill Obamacare In Darkness
The Trump administration does not seem to care that the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, has allowed tens of millions of Americans to purchase health coverage, or that its insurance markets have proved remarkably resilient, or that its popularity has soared since its namesake left office. Nor is it much impressed by the fact that the basic architecture of the ACA was originally a Republican idea, offered as an alternative to the unworkable plan spearheaded by former President Bill Clinton. No, the Trump administration is determined to kill the program. Having failed to persuade Congress to do the deed, the White House is doing everything in its power to sabotage the law through administrative actions. (7/18)

USA Today:
Don’t Blame Donald Trump For Obamacare's Failures
Faced with the mounting policy failures of Obamacare, liberals in Congress are desperate to shift the blame to President Donald Trump. Nonsense. Obamacare is responsible for the problems of Obamacare markets: rising costs, undesirable plans and declining choice. The problems have been evident since day one. In 2014, insurance premiums exploded by an average of 49 percent. From 2013 to 2017, they increased by 105 percent in the individual markets, while deductibles exploded. (Robert E. Moffit, 7/18)

The Washington Post:
Work Requirements Won’t Solve Hunger And Sickness
Three of the federal government’s largest means-tested safety-net programs are Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and housing assistance. To list these is to list the conditions against which Congress has decided to protect those who do not have enough money to protect themselves: sickness, hunger and homelessness. The Trump administration, with the support of the Republican Congress, seeks to make these protections more contingent than they are at present on the beneficiaries’ work effort. A new report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers argues for work requirements in noncash federal safety nets akin to those enacted for cash assistance in the 1990s, on the ground that “self-sufficiency has fallen in recent decades while material hardship has fallen.” (7/18)

The Hill:
The Judiciary Strikes A Blow To Medicaid Reform
At the end of June, a U.S. District Court judge blocked Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin from imposing work requirements on Medicaid recipients. According to the ruling, Bevin’s reforms would have undermined Medicaid’s mission to help low-income Americans access medical care. Unfortunately, the judge’s decision will likely worsen health care access for Medicaid patients in the Bluegrass State. (Charlie Katebi, 7/18)

The Gainesville Sun:
Take Steps To Expand Health Care Coverage
Florida is one of 17 states that has failed to take advantage of expanded health care funding under the ACA, although the number recently declined with Virginia’s decision to expand Medicaid. At a time when a growing number of Democrats are calling for major policy changes such as Medicare for all, former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham is a throwback. “I describe myself as being a raging incrementalist,” Graham told The Sun last week. Graham was visiting Gainesville to promote the candidacy of his daughter, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, for the Democratic nomination for governor. Her recently released health-care plan includes support for Florida expanding Medicaid, providing coverage for about 500,000 Floridians who lack insurance but don’t qualify for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. (7/18)

Sun-Sentinel:
Expand Medicaid: Floridians Funding Health Care That Doesn’t Work For Them
Florida’s residents deserve quality, affordable health care and currently nearly a million Floridians aren’t receiving it. Floridians have the power to change this.The Commonwealth Fund’s 2018 Scorecard on State Health System Performance ranked Florida 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Commonwealth Fund is a well-known, independent think tank focused on assessing the efficacy of health care systems around the world. The criteria for the rankings include access to health care, quality of care, and affordability. I find it appalling that a state with the third largest population in the country has one of the lowest ranked health care systems. Many policy analysts attribute Florida’s poor national standing to our lack of Medicaid expansion. (Lori Berman, 7/18)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.